A Flulike Warlock
by 4verunwritten
Summary: Just an excuse for some Sick!Merlin. Merlin has the flu but still tends to Arthur. In the end our idiotic warlock gets a little help from his prattish prince. No slash just some good old bromance!


**A/N: Hello my lovely, sexy(yes you are sexy) readers! I'm back with a one-shot I wrote out of sheer boredom and a desire for sick Merlin! Hope you like it. Oh and don't forget to review please! :D**

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Merlin felt absolutely horrible. He was awake but did not want to open his eyes. Everything just felt wrong. He was positively freezing but he could feel that his sheets were soaked in sweat.

_Maybe a fever, _his lethargic mind tried to process.

At this point Merlin decided to open his eyes, bad idea. As soon as they cracked open the world started to spin out of control. He quickly closed them hoping it would go away. Nausea continued to roll around in his stomach and his head pounded ferociously against his skull. Once everything settled somewhat he opened his eyes again. It wasn't spinning, thank goodness. Slowly Merlin pulled himself up, making his stomach do flips.

_I have to get up now or his royal pratness will have my head_, he thought.

Once he was dressed and managed not to keel over Merlin left his small room for Gaius and his larger chamber.

"Morning Merl...what's the matter? You look pale as parchment!" Gaius asked. Merlin sunk into a chair groaning.

"Not good." he answered weakly.

Merlin let his head drop onto the table and stayed there. He didn't even notice Gaius next to him.

"Merlin sit up." Gaius ordered.

He did this and Gaius began to examine his ward. The first symptom he checked for was a fever. As soon as his hand pressed against Merlin's forehead the boy tried to retreat from his hand. He was extremely hot.

"You definitely have a fever. What else is wrong?"

"Stomach, head, dizzy, freezing." Merlin answered.

"Stomach flu," Gaius diagnosed. "I want you in bed today."

"I can't take the day off Gaius."

"Merlin, you need rest."

"You know as soon as you leave I'll sneak out." Merlin added truthfully.

Gaius sighed, the boy had a point.

"Fine, I'm going to give you something and you had better drink it."

"Promise." Merlin replied.

Gaius went through his valley of bottles and found what he was looking for. Gaius gave the bottle to his ward. Merlin immediately drank the disgusting potion.

"See you later." Merlin said.

"Eat something." Gaius started but was interrupted by his door slamming.

"That boy." Gaius muttered.

Merlin walked through the corridors to Arthur's chambers almost falling twice. He wasn't really paying attention as his headache seemed to be getting in the way. Of course as he tried to avoid people he knocked right into Gwen. She dropped the laundry she was holding as they collided.

"Sorry." Merlin muttered.

"It's fine...Merlin, you look ill." she observed.

"What? Um...Don't worry I'm fine." he interjected.

"Merlin you're burning up." she said touching his face. "Why don't you go back to Gaius, I'll tell Arthur."

"No, no I'm already late, I'll be fine."

Gwen gave a disapproving look to Merlin's retreating form. Merlin walked into Arthur's chambers to find him eating breakfast, George waiting patiently behind him.

"So Merlin why is it that you're late and George had to bring me breakfast?" Arthur asked.

"Um...Gaius needed me, you can ask him yourself." he replied.

Merlin was doing everything in his power not to vomit but his stomach was putting up a pretty good fight. He was trying to keep on his feet, his body swaying slightly.

"Merlin what's wrong with you? You look dead on your feet."

"Just feeling a bit ill, what are we doing today?" Merlin replied trying to perk up.

"Well we're training today so get my chain mail and meet me on the field." Arthur ordered.

Merlin nodded and left for the armory. On the stairs he started to feel extremely tired. No one was there so he let himself slide down for a minute and just stayed still.

"Merlin?" Gwaine asked worry in his tone.

Merlin didn't acknowledge his friend, he couldn't hear him properly. All Merlin could hear was the pounding in his head and the blood rushing in his ears.

"Merlin?" Gwaine repeated kneeling next to his friend. "You look awful mate."

"Thanks a lot." Merlin murmured.

"Let me take you to Gaius." he insisted.

"Don't you have training?" Merlin questioned with annoyance in his tone. The headache was getting on his nerves.

"Yes but you're my mate. It's my job to make sure you're fine. Obviously you're not by the looks of you."

"I'll be there in a bit." Merlin replied.

"Okay mate." Gwaine said as he left.

Once Gwaine was gone Merlin slowly picked himself up and went off towards the armory. When he got there his stomach won the battle. He ran towards the pot in the corner and retched up all of the contents of his stomach. Merlin was merciful that no one was there to see him like this. He picked up Arthur's chain mail and was off towards the field. He felt a bit light headed but took it as an effect of his predicament. Merlin soon reached the field and helped Arthur into his chain mail.

"Merlin we're going to be partnered up so you can stand and watch on the side like the girl you truly are." Arthur teased.

"Yes, sire." Merlin replied weakly.

After a while Merlin's stomach decided to act up again. Before anyone could see him Merlin ran for the end of the stands. Bile came up just as he reached the edge. He continued to retch on the side of the stands as Arthur clapped his shoulder.

"Merlin I think you should take the rest of the day off. I'll be fine; even though you don't believe that I can actually care for myself."

"And I never will." Merlin replied, his voice shaky.

He wiped his mouth on his sleeve and stood up. Everything started to spin when the ground came up to meet him and the world went black. He could hear people calling his name but they were too far away and Merlin was too tired to answer. He just let his consciousness slip away. Arthur tried to wake Merlin but he was oblivious to his surroundings. He quickly picked Merlin up to take him to Gaius.

"Leon take over." Arthur ordered.

The king speedily made his way to Gaius holding a limp Merlin. Arthur was in shock at how much heat was radiating from him.

"Merlin you idiot!" Arthur said to his servant's unconscious form.

Merlin groaned and Arthur took it as a sign he was coming to. He quickly placed Merlin in an empty chair in the corridor and waited. Merlin's head began to move and his eyes slowly opened.

"Ugh what ha..." Merlin spoke but was cut off by his sharp intake of breath.

Arthur immediately tensed at the action. That's when he noticed how fever bright his eyes were.

"RUN!" Merlin yelled.

Before Arthur could react Merlin had fled from the chair and was running down the corridor. He ran after him hoping to figure out what was happening to his friend. Once he caught up with Merlin Arthur grabbed his wrist keeping him in place.

"Merlin what's wrong?" he asked.

"The army is after us we have to go!" he yelled.

"Merlin there's nothing there, what's wrong with you?" Arthur asked.

The ill warlock looked at him like he was mad.

"The immortal army is right behind us we have to go. They'll kill you prat now come on!"

"Merlin you're hallucinating we need to go to Gaius." Arthur argued.

Merlin's sweat slick skin made it easy to find his way out of Arthur's strong grip and ran down the corridor. Merlin ran into Gwen as he had done earlier that day but his running force had knocked her to the ground.

"Gwen come on we have to go!" Merlin ordered.

He grabbed her arm but she quickly took it back just as Arthur ran over.

"Merlin what's going on?" she asked.

"He's hallucinating and I can't get him to Gaius." Arthur explained.

"The army is right behind us how can you not see it!" Merlin yelled.

"Arthur you can't use logic when someone's hallucinating." she whispered, a bit harshly.

"Merlin I see them and I know we have to go but we need to make a plan. Let's get to Gaius and figure this out. If we walk there slowly they won't be able to hear us." she made up.

Merlin looked at her and nodded like her plan made total sense. Arthur was completely amazed at the sight. Gwen took Merlin's hand and started to lead him to Gaius's chambers and Arthur followed suit.

"How did you?"

"Just go along Arthur." she replied.

They soon reached Gaius's chambers; Merlin was a lot calmer but even less lucid than before. As soon as they walked in Gaius only looked concerned but not at all surprised.

"What happened?" he asked motioning toward the bed.

"Well Merlin vomited during training and then passed out. On the way he woke up and started hallucinating about the immortal army coming for us. Thank the gods for Guinevere because I had no idea what to do." Arthur explained.

As Arthur explained he watched as Merlin became restless sitting on the bed trying to get away from Guinevere.

"Merlin do you want to stop the army?" Gaius asked.

Merlin stopped moving, looking up at Gaius and nodding frantically. Gaius took a vial, uncorked it, and handed it to his ward.

"If you drink this we can stop them." he explained.

Merlin quickly downed the potion and his eyes screwed shut. His body relaxed and pitched forward as Gaius's potion knocked him out. Arthur caught him before he fell to the floor and laid him on the bed.

"He has the flu. This morning I told him to stay here but you know how stubborn he is. Sire would you be able to help me move him into his room? Being in a familiar place may calm him if he's still hallucinating when he wakes."

Arthur quickly picked Merlin up and the trio made their way into the bedroom. Gwen went straight to work taking off Merlin's boots, jacket, and neckerchief. They lied him down and covered him in the few blankets he had.

"I have rounds to do, do you think you could stay with him?"

"Sure, we can't leave the idiot alone in this state."Arthur replied.

Gaius smiled and gave Arthur a bucket of fresh water and a rag to cool Merlin's fever. He handed Gwen a vial that Merlin needed to drink when he woke up. With that he quickly collected what he needed and left the room.

"Arthur I would stay but I must attend to your father." Gwen said.

"So I just keep his forehead cool?" Arthur asked awkwardly, he's never taken care of a sick person.

"Yes that and the potion for later. Will you be alright?" she asked.

"I'll be fine Guinevere, thank you."

She smiled at him and quickly departed to get the King's lunch. So Arthur sat there, keeping his unconscious friend's brow cool for an hour or so. He watched as Merlin muttered and twitched in a fevered sleep. The warlock was covered in sweat even though he shivered. His jet black hair stuck to his forehead and his cheeks were flushed.

"You really are an idiot. You could have told me." Arthur said.

Merlin shifted at the noise. Slowly he opened his eyes.

"Ar'tur?" Merlin whispered.

Arthur looked at Merlin; the boy's eyes were glazed with fever. He face looked both pained and confused.

"Wha' happen?"

"Merlin you have a bloody high fever." he replied. "You passed out and started hallucinating."

Merlin just looked at Arthur, barely registering the words. His eyelids began to droop as his body demanded him to sleep.

"Thought did somethin' ba'." Merlin said, eyes closing.

"Merlin do not fall asleep yet." Arthur ordered.

"Why?"

"You need to drink some water?"

"M'kay." Merlin said closing his eyes again.

Arthur returned to Merlin's bedside with a large goblet filled with water and Merlin's medicine.

"Hey, come on idiot." the prince said, shaking his servant's shoulder.

Merlin opened his eyes, a little agitated to say the least. Arthur helped him to sit up. He slowly coaxed the drink down Merlin's throat. Arthur laughed at Merlin's apparent face of disgust at the liquid.

"That bad?" he inquired.

"Mhm." he replied.

Merlin's blinking began to slow, his lids drooping. Arthur went to put the cloth back on Merlin's forehead. As soon as the cold cloth touched Merlin's feverish skin he retreated.

"What's the matter?" Arthur asked, concerned.

"C-cold." he said sleepily.

"You're boiling Merlin." he pointed out.

"Uh-uh." the warlock said, shivering.

"Why don't we lie you down eh Merlin?"

Merlin just nodded and with Arthur's help lay back in his bed. Within moments his breathing evened out and he was asleep. For the rest of the day Arthur sat there tending to Merlin, his idiotic best friend.


End file.
